South Side Catholic Rivalries

[Cat Box]

Hey Southsiders. Protestant/Evangelical Aurora guy here. Help me understand the South Side Catholic rivalries and how the battle lines are drawn.

MC, Rita, Rice, Marist.
What about Laurence, DeLaSalle and others? What makes one rivalry more intense than another? Has it changed over the years?

 

[voice of meteor football]

There are rivalries and they can get very heated, but there’s also respect among the schools. For example, our gym is being retrofitted, so there are cranes and materials on our field since the gym is behind our south end zone.

We needed somewhere to play this season and the Rita people have treated us wonderfully. That’s the CCL.

I want our kids to win every time and beat everyone’s ass, but when the game ends you shake hands, show respect and treat each other well.

There’s just a bond in the CCL. I’m a Rita grad working at D and everyone there has treated me like one of their own. Seventeen years at D and I consider myself a Meteor - win or lose.

Proud to be a Catholic Leaguer.

 

[ignazio]

It's a bit early to retrofit the place for a new trophy case, don't you think?

How does the new field/stadium look?

 

[voice of meteor football]

We’re retrofitting the gym because we are coed and need proper facilities for the young women.

Hate to disappoint you, but no field, stadium or new trophy case yet.

 

[go_rice]

I would not include Marist in this discussion. They are not truly a rival. Yes, we do have some heated games because of proximity, and they do emerge every so often and play Rita or Carmel, but generally they revel in that garbage conference & schedule which makes zero sense. There is no reason that school should not be in the Blue rather than playing schools from Mundelein, Joliet, Woodstock etc. They should be embarrassed that their big conference title showdown game was against a 5A/6A school. They beat us this year & hats off to them for that. They have a better team than us this year, but that 9-0 they are going to post is tainted in my opinion. Until they step up, they will never be included in this discussion as far as I'm concerned.

 

[RockSoup]

Hey Southsiders. Protestant/Evangelical Aurora guy here. Help me understand the South Side Catholic rivalries and how the battle lines are drawn.

MC, Rita, Rice, Marist.
What about Laurence, DeLaSalle and others? What makes one rivalry more intense than another? Has it changed over the years?

Pull out an old fashion fold out map. Take an old fashion compass and draw an 8 mile radius around Aurora, drop 20-30 catholic parishes in that circle and 5 catholic high schools. You could see the congestion.

For the most part there are Rita families, MC families, BR families etc. Over time some of these families intermarried. Sure they're all boy schools but every daughter raised in these families get it, dueling fight songs at the weddings, good natured (most of the time) ribbing at parties. Add to that, the closing of some parishes and the fight for survival, the schools are even more blended with less distinct lines. But each week, depending on who you are playing, old ghosts emerge and the rivalry undertone for that week amps up and the current players understand what's at stake. I mean even if you are going over to your buddies house on Saturday for dinner, you still want those bragging rights for the year.

Other than that @ramblinman assessment was well done

 

[ESCC Alum]

You obviously have never played in a Marist-Rice football/basketball game. You cannot argue the electricity and the emotion in that classic south side rivalry.

FYI Marist has beaten Rice 3 out of the last 5 meetings, and that little "5A/6A" school would have mopped the floor with Rice the last 5 years too. I'd love to see the conferences mix up more too but the fact is the ESCC has had teams consistently deep in the playoffs from 5A-8A for a long time, can't take anything away from them.

An earlier thread mentioned the prospect of a week 1 "ESCC-CCL" challenge, that would be awesome.

 

[go_rice]

I did. And I played in BR-MC, BR-SR, heck even BR-STL all had more “electricity and emotion”. Honestly, it was never the circled game on our schedule. Maybe for your side because it’s pretty much the sole game that you choose to play against a team within 15 miles.

 

[3OrangeWhips]

[QUOTE and that little "5A/6A" school would have mopped the floor with Rice the last 5 years too.[/QUOTE]

Really? In 2015 and 2016?

 

[RockSoup]

I did. And I played in BR-MC, BR-SR, heck even BR-STL all had more “electricity and emotion”. Honestly, it was never the circled game on our schedule. Maybe for your side because it’s pretty much the sole game that you choose to play against a team within 15 miles.

Dang @go_rice i hope you are not giving the speech for BR before the SR game this week. I'm a Rita guy but I feel like punching a locker reading your posts in this thread.

 

[ESCC Alum]

It's sure as hell circled now.

Ok not in 2016 probably.

 

[go_rice]

Dang @go_rice i hope you are not giving the speech for BR before the SR game this week. I'm a Rita guy but I feel like punching a locker reading your posts in this thread.

Am I wrong @RockSoup? Something to be said for the CCL rivalries. Not much respect for Marist’s scheduling/conference affiliation approach. Beat up on the Little Suburban Sisters of the Poor while recruiting against our schools who beat each other up weekly. I wish BR wouldn’t play them. We don’t have much to gain from the game.

 

[RockSoup]

Am I wrong @RockSoup? Something to be said for the CCL rivalries. Not much respect for Marist’s scheduling/conference affiliation approach. Beat up on the Little Suburban Sisters of the Poor while recruiting against our schools who beat each other up weekly. I wish BR wouldn’t play them. We don’t have much to gain from the game.

I get it @go_rice but I can't go as hard as you on Marist. Different relationship with Marist and Rita guys than Marist and Rice guys. All my dealings with Marist grads in the adult world have gone well. When we get together, they know the pecking order and who buys the drinks.

I always think it's tough but fun when rivals aim at you. Gearing up for one game compared to surviving the Blue to make it to state is apples to oranges. But I hope you keep the game on the schedule for my own selfish reasons. See you Friday night. I'll have @feeto s BR father's club saved seat on the 50 on the visitors side.

 

[RockSoup]

Thanks @Cat Box . This thread has got these old bones fired up. I'm going to Hayes Park tonight looking for an old fashioned catholic league brawl. Who's with me?

 

[Cat Box]

Am I wrong @RockSoup? Something to be said for the CCL rivalries. Not much respect for Marist’s scheduling/conference affiliation approach. Beat up on the Little Suburban Sisters of the Poor while recruiting against our schools who beat each other up weekly. I wish BR wouldn’t play them. We don’t have much to gain from the game.

I'm gonna call BS on you blasting Marist for the ESCC schedule. The CCL blue is a grind, but it's only 4 games! Then Blue gets to play 3 crossover games, some of which are against 2a/3a schools. There is nothing smaller than a 5A school in the ESCC. So how can you rationalize your position?

 

[BIGGUYBALL]

Hey Southsiders. Protestant/Evangelical Aurora guy here. Help me understand the South Side Catholic rivalries and how the battle lines are drawn.

MC, Rita, Rice, Marist.
What about Laurence, DeLaSalle and others? What makes one rivalry more intense than another? Has it changed over the years?

 

[BIGGUYBALL]

From my book 3 YARDS AND A CLOUD OF DUST available @ www.chicagocatholicleaguefootball.com

They say High School Football is king in Texas, parts of Florida, Ohio, and California, and that’s all great. But there’s an area in this great country named Chicago, City of. And here is the home of the best High School Football Conference in the Country called the Chicago Catholic League.

For 105 years, the Chicago Catholic League Schools have been producing many of the best student athletes in our country. Our schools provide the highest level of Academics, Athletics, and Leadership for our future leaders.

The greatness of our league lasts far longer than while your there in the classroom, or on the field. You see there is a bond, a respect that stays with all fellow Catholic Leaguers, forever.

Oh yes, you dislike each other with a passion while your at your school on and off the field. Your colors, your fight song, your pride, and passion for your school and team, trump everyone, every school, from the day you get there, until the day you die. But when you leave, you will always be an alumni of your school and the Chicago Catholic League. A bond, a brotherhood you will feel every time you talk or see a fellow member.

While writing this book, I have talked with hundreds of us, guys who I have never met, from different schools and teams from 47 years ago, and it was like we had been friends for all these years gone by. We talked for an hour or so and could have been 3, sharing stories of back in the day, during a time of great memories from our lives.

Remember when a hand shake was a man’s bond, well I believe that tradition is still alive and well if the hand that you are shaking is a that of a man from the Chicago Catholic League.

You nice fella’s that play in those other state’s I mentioned earlier, If your ever looking for a real game of football, give one of us schools a call, We will play you at your stadium, in your parking lot, in an ally, in a corn field, at a beach, makes no difference to us. We will show up.

And when you shake our hand after the game, you will then know what it’s like, to shake the hand, of a man from the Chicago Catholic League.

Tim Maher
St.Rita '71

 

[MC63]

Growing up in the early 1960s, we'd go to dances at St Sabina parish hall (yes, that St Sabina) on Sunday evening. It wasn't unusual for a fight or two to take place outside between guys from schools that had played that afternoon.

The rivalries began before high school ... when a grammar school boy decided where he's going ... he was a Carmel guy, a Rita guy ... whatever. Great pride and rivalry.

 

[NNFAN]

Am I wrong @RockSoup? Something to be said for the CCL rivalries. Not much respect for Marist’s scheduling/conference affiliation approach. Beat up on the Little Suburban Sisters of the Poor while recruiting against our schools who beat each other up weekly. I wish BR wouldn’t play them. We don’t have much to gain from the game.

Understand your point about the distance thing with Marist playing in the ESCC, but you are off base regarding the level of competition. No need to go there... plenty of good football programs in the ESCC. That being said... the Blue would be a natural fit for Marist.

 

[ssczar76]

Thanks @Cat Box . This thread has got these old bones fired up. I'm going to Hayes Park tonight looking for an old fashioned catholic league brawl. Who's with me?

Better bring a bullet proof vest and gun if you're going up to Hayes.

 

[Cmon Now]

I would not include Marist in this discussion. They are not truly a rival. Yes, we do have some heated games because of proximity, and they do emerge every so often and play Rita or Carmel, but generally they revel in that garbage conference & schedule which makes zero sense. There is no reason that school should not be in the Blue rather than playing schools from Mundelein, Joliet, Woodstock etc. They should be embarrassed that their big conference title showdown game was against a 5A/6A school. They beat us this year & hats off to them for that. They have a better team than us this year, but that 9-0 they are going to post is tainted in my opinion. Until they step up, they will never be included in this discussion as far as I'm concerned.

Says the man who's team just beat St. Joe's 56-0. Stay hot Crusader. Marist is Rice's (and vice versa) biggest rival....period.

 

[ESCC Alum]

[QUOTE="go_rice, post: I wish BR wouldn’t play them.[/QUOTE]

Gonna leave this here for your fellow Crusaders to see. Look at the guy complaining about a rival's schedule trying to soften up his own. Another season like this for BR and they'll be the ones pulling for that rotation into the Green!

 

[Cat Box]

[QUOTE="go_rice, post: I wish BR wouldn’t play them.

Gonna leave this here for your fellow Crusaders to see. Look at the guy complaining about a rival's schedule trying to soften up his own. Another season like this for BR and they'll be the ones pulling for that rotation into the Green![/QUOTE]

BOOM! Roasted...

 

[ESCC fan]

I would not include Marist in this discussion. They are not truly a rival. Yes, we do have some heated games because of proximity, and they do emerge every so often and play Rita or Carmel, but generally they revel in that garbage conference & schedule which makes zero sense. There is no reason that school should not be in the Blue rather than playing schools from Mundelein, Joliet, Woodstock etc. They should be embarrassed that their big conference title showdown game was against a 5A/6A school. They beat us this year & hats off to them for that. They have a better team than us this year, but that 9-0 they are going to post is tainted in my opinion. Until they step up, they will never be included in this discussion as far as I'm concerned.

This is such a clown post. You realize you've played conference games against teams from Aurora (2A/3A school), Lombard (5A/6A school), New Lenox (6A school), Westchester (2A school) and Wilmette this season? "Chicago" Catholic League games...

 

[mc140]

Marist was the driving force in breaking up the metro in late 90s because they were sick of getting beat by Rita, MC, Loyola, Providence etc.

 

[pjjp]

Marist was the driving force in breaking up the metro in late 90s because they were sick of getting best by Rita, MC, Loyola, Providence etc.

The Marist of today is much improved over the Marist of that era. Actually, as a small school fan of a fellow ESCC school, I'm hoping the current coach does not maintain the same level of success that Dunne achieved. The ESCC needs Marist to come back to the pack a bit.

 

[superac777]

Rita & Laurence used to be pretty good rivals back in the day.I recall in fact in the 70's( thank god PC wasn't common back then) I seen a picture in the Trib or Sun Times a Laurence kid had I hate Rita on the side of his helmet.Looked like electrical tape he used to do that.That wouldn't fly today.Also Mendel vs SFDS had a good rivalry back then

 

[ignazio]

St. Philip and Weber.

 

[MS4EVER]

My all time favorite catholic league team was Gordon Tech. Went to Ram club in the summer and I think I’m finally healing from the dodge ball wounds I suffered. What a great experience! I really wish Hot Doug’s was around then because that would have been the perfect end to a campers day.

 

[Southland Fan 2016]

Marist Versus CCL Blue since 2012-2013

Rice 3-2
Rita 1-1
MC 0-1
Loyola 0-1

Over that stretch made 4 playoff appearances including at spot in 8A final and 8A semis losing late to Naperville Central who beat almighty LA in the title game the next week. Over the past 5 or so years I think Marist would have been just fine in the Blue.

 

[RockSoup]

Marist Versus CCL Blue since 2012-2013

Rice 3-2
Rita 1-1
MC 0-1
Loyola 0-1

Over that stretch made 4 playoff appearances including at spot in 8A final and 8A semis losing late to Naperville Central who beat almighty LA in the title game the next week. Over the past 5 or so years I think Marist would have been just fine in the Blue.

Cool. It's just a phone call and some paperwork away from making it happen. Hopefully the generation that ran from the metro is gone and the new Marist admins would all be in for a move to the Blue.

 

[ssi84]

Cool. It's just a phone call and some paperwork away from making it happen. Hopefully the generation that ran from the metro is gone and the new Marist admins would all be in for a move to the Blue.

I would love to see Marist in the Blue but I would be surprised if it happens. While football is the biggest sport the admin would consider all sports, including girls, when making this kind of decision. The GCAC is a good conference but the ESCC, especially for volleyball is like the CCL Blue for football. They just had 3 teams place in the top 4 of the biggest national volleyball tourney a couple weeks ago.

 

[RockSoup]

I would love to see Marist in the Blue but I would be surprised if it happens. While football is the biggest sport the admin would consider all sports, including girls, when making this kind of decision. The GCAC is a good conference but the ESCC, especially for volleyball is like the CCL Blue for football. They just had 3 teams place in the top 4 of the biggest national volleyball tourney a couple weeks ago.

Cool. Just football. Every other sport could stay as it is. No big deal. Helps balance out ESCC football wise. Doesn't bother any other gender or sport. Simple. Simple.

 

[ignazio]

I imagine St. Stanislaus/Weber and Holy Trinity were good rivals - since they were across the street from each other.

 

[feeto]

Hey Southsiders. Protestant/Evangelical Aurora guy here. Help me understand the South Side Catholic rivalries and how the battle lines are drawn.

MC, Rita, Rice, Marist.
What about Laurence, DeLaSalle and others? What makes one rivalry more intense than another? Has it changed over the years?

I'll put the whole thing in a nut shell for you. MC, Rita, Marist, St . Larry, DeLaSalle.....all want to beat each other every year and give it all in those games. When the game is over, they're all friends. When any of these teams play Rice.......WE ALL CHEER AGAINST RICE.

 

[SOUTHSIDECFD]

I'll put the whole thing in a nut shell for you. MC, Rita, Marist, St . Larry, DeLaSalle.....all want to beat each other every year and give it all in those games. When the game is over, they're all friends. When any of these teams play Rice.......WE ALL CHEER AGAINST RICE.

Feeto is right on. SR and MC love to beat each other but unless there are playoff implications at stake they both root for the other one against BR. I honesty don’t know if that’s always been but that’s the way it has been for as long as I have followed high school football. I didn’t grow up in Illinois and I’m not Catholic.

Now if MC could make SR go 1-8 and BR 0-9 they would be ecstatic. I think SR would feel the same way but maybe with a little less vigor than MC. It goes to all of the schools having to go the same grade schools and compete for students. But come playoffs they all seem to want the other to do well just not as well as they do.

When Marist and BR play there is no where near the hype as there is in the Beverly area for SR/BR SR/MC MC/BR. Maybe in Mt. Greenwood. Marist has no traditional rivals in a reasonable driving area. By playing Marist BR gives Marist a bigger foot print in the area than they normally would have. If you didn’t go to Marist no one in the area of the school cares when they play an other ESCC school. But if MC or SR are playing LA on a Saturday afternoon they may go to BR to see how they stack up.

 

[Cat Box]

Sounds like Marist needs to put their big boy pants on and join the CCL Blue for 2 simple reasons.
> Marist located in City of Chicago.
> Marist is class 8A

The ESCC is a suburban conference in name and by virtue of its member schools locations.

 

[RockSoup]

Sounds like Marist needs to put their big boy pants on and join the CCL Blue for 2 simple reasons.
> Marist located in City of Chicago.
> Marist is class 8A

The ESCC is a suburban conference in name and by virtue of its member schools locations.

Boom. There you go meow meow. As you said when you started this thread, as a "Protestant/Evangelical from Aurora", you wanted some insight. And after you read all the testimonials, you have come to your conclusion. Good work.

Now the only thing left for you to do is to adopt St. Rita as your preferred South Side Blue Football team and 7A contender.

 

[3OrangeWhips]

I'll put the whole thing in a nut shell for you. MC, Rita, Marist, St . Larry, DeLaSalle.....all want to beat each other every year and give it all in those games. When the game is over, they're all friends. When any of these teams play Rice.......WE ALL CHEER AGAINST RICE.

Very flattering.

 

[ESCC fan]

Just an FYI--there are more suburban schools in the "Chicago" Catholic League (10) than Chicago schools (8).

Also, there are three 8A teams in the ESCC according to the IHSA Numeric enrollments (Marist, ND and Benet). The CCL has two (Brother Rice and Loyola).

But don't let facts get in the way of a fun argument!